Unbelief eliminates all of the evidence that Jesus is God.
John 10:24-33 The people surrounded Him and asked, "How long are You going to keep us in suspense? If You are the Messiah, tell us plainly."
25 Jesus replied, "I have already told you, and you don't believe Me. The proof is the work I do in My Father's name. 26 But you don't believe Me because you are not My sheep. 27 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from Me, 29 for My Father has given them to Me, and He is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father's hand. 30 The Father and I are one."
31 Once again the people picked up stones to kill Him. 32 Jesus said, "At My Father's direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone Me?" 33 They replied, "We're stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God."
Where will your questions lead you? Many times we ask the right question but our mind is already made up so we don't really consider the answer to the question. That's how the leaders in the temple approached Jesus, they had their minds made up, they could not consider the overwhelming evidence that Jesus is who he claimed to be. They were tired of Jesus claims and the threat he was to their power.
The religious leaders make it sound like it is Jesus fault that they don't believe. So they ask him to make it more clear this time, clarity isn't the problem, they just don't like his answer. How sad it is to be so blind that you have an closeup personal encounter with Jesus and you fail to see who he really is. It reminds me of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus, fell on his knees and asked the right question, got the right answer but he left without ever knowing Jesus.
Jesus was asked who he is many times and he answered them plainly each time. The prophets in the Old Testament all pointed to Jesus, John the Baptist said it, Jesus miracles said it and Jesus words said it "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)Jesus Said:
✔ He Existed Before Abraham - John 8:56-59
✔ He is Equal with God - John 5:19-20
✔ He is the one that scripture foretold -John 5:39-40
✔ To See Him is the Same as Seeing God -John 12:44-50, 14:6-9
✔ He Could Forgive Sins -Matthew 9:6-8, John 8:23,24
✔ He Is the Judge -John 5:21-23
✔ He Can Grant Eternal Life -John 6:40, 11:25, 10:27-28
✔ He Was the Same as God -John 10:30-33
✔ His "I Am" statements say he is God -John 6:35-39, John 7:37-38, John 8:12, 58
Jesus lets them know that they will never be pleased with his answer because they are not his sheep. Jesus sheep know his voice, they listen to him and follow him. His sheep hear the answer to the question "who is Jesus?" It makes sense to them, they have no problem believing that he is the Good Shepherd that they should follow.
| John 7:17 Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether My teaching is from God or is merely My own. |
Jesus doesn't back down or flinch the least little bit, he continues with a question that is going to make them more determined to get him on the cross, "Which of these good works has caused you to stone Me?” I remember that Peter asked these same leaders a similar question, "are we being questioned today because we've done a good deed for a crippled man?" (Acts 4:9)
| Matthew 16:15-17 Then He asked them, "But who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "You are blessed, Simon son of John, because My Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. |
The religious leaders could not answer the question the way that Peter did. His answer was the same when he was being questioned about the healing of the crippled man at the temple. (Acts 4:8-14)
Do you know the shepherd? He gives eternal life to his sheep. You are his sheep if he is your shepherd, do you hear his voice, do you recognize it and follow it, is he in control of your life?
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